Ballot-box



(No Model.)

M. M. MGILVAIN, J. C. GOSH & H. F. PIGKBTT. BALLOT BOX.

No. 425,238. Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

MONROE M. MCILVAIN, OF PUTNAMVILLE, AND JACOB C. GOSE AND HAMIL- TON FOSTER PIOKETT, OF REELSVILLE, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-FOURTH TO LYMAN BEECI-IER SMITH, OF REELSVILLE, INDIANA.

BALLOT-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,238, dated April 8, 1890.

Application filed August l0, 1889. Serial No. 320,365. (No model.)

.To all w/wm i may concern: Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a bal- Be it known that We, MONROE M. MOIL- lot-box of any conventional form, preferably VAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing provided with glass sides, as shown.

at Putnamville, in the county of Putnam, The mechanism for attaining the objects of 5 State of Indiana, and JACOB O. GOSE and our invention is contained Within the cover 55 HAMILTON FOSTER PICKETT, citizens of Reelsof the ballot-box,\vl1ich consists of a top piece ville, in the county of Putnam, State of In- 2 and bottom piece 3, forming an inclosingdiana, have invented certain new and useful space hinged at one side to the body of the Improvements in Ballot-Boxes; and We do ballot-box and provided at the other side with 1o hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, locking` devices, as illustrated in the dran 6o and exact description of the invention, such ings. Through the top piece 2 and bottom as will enable others skilled in the art to piece 3, constituting the double cover, are Which it appertains to make and use the made ballot-deposit slots 45, registering with same. each other, the slot 5 being normally closed r 5 Our invention is designed to provide an efby means of the slide-lever G, pivoted at 7, 65 iicient safeguard against the fraudulent deand held in the position indicated in full positing and counting of ballots by furnishlines in Fig. 2 by means of aretractile spring ing the ballot-box with a slide normally cov 8, connected at its outer end. One end ofthe ering the ballot-deposit opening, said slide lever G is provided with an escapement-lever zo being adapted to be moved by the voter so as 9, engaging the teeth of a ratchet-wheel 10, 7o to uncover the opening at the time of the insaid ratchet-Wheel being divided in the form sertion of his ballot, at the same time actuatof a graduated scale and provided with nuing a bell or other audible signal and a regismerals corresponding in number with the tering-dial or other visual signal, and the reratchet-teeth, the entire arrangement being 25 turn of the slide to the normal position after similar to that of a clock-escapement. At its 75 the deposit of the ballot being indicated by a opposite end the lever 6 is provided with a second bell or other audible signal, preferably pointed projection, which in its path of moveof diierent tone or volume from the first, so ment strikes against the end of a pivoted bellas to be readily distinguishable therefrom, clapper 11, located intermediate of two bells 3o the Whole arrangement being such as to en- 12 13, which are preferably of different size So able the voter and the poll-Watchers to know or tone, so as to give a different audible sigwith certainty that the ballot has been duly nal readily distinguishable to the ear. The received and recorded and the apparatus relever 6 is provided with an actuating-button stored to its normal position for use by a suc 14, playing Within a slot 15, made in the top 3 5 ceeding voter, and the recording apparatus piece 2 of the double cover, and the top piece 85 acting as a check upon the poll clerks and 2 is also provided With a slot, through Which the inspector to prevent the fraudulent incan be observed the actuation of the registersertion of additional ballots after the voting ing-dial. has ceased. The parts of our invention being con- 4o In carrying out our invention We have destructed and arranged as described, the operan 96 vised the construction illustrated in the action of it is as follows: The mechanism being coinpanying drawings, whereinM normally in the position indicated in full Figure 1 represents in perspective a ballotlines in Fig. 2, the voter, to deposit his ballot, box provided with our improvements. Fig. draws back the button 11 Within the limits 45 2 represents in plan the mechanical devices oi' the slot 15, thereby causing the slide-lever 95 for carrying out the invention, and Fig. 3 6 to turn upon its pivot 7 against the retractrepresents a vertical transverse section on ive force of the spring S until the slot 5 is the plane indicated by the line 3 5 of Fig. 2. uncovered. During this operation of uncov- Similar numerals of reference indicate simiering the slot the bell-clapper is actuated in 5o lar parts throughout the several views. such manner as to ring one of the bells, and roo at the same time the-registering-dial is actu ated so as to make a revolution of a distance corresponding to one ratchet-tooth. The audible signal is heard by the poll-Watchers, giving' them Warning that a ballot is being deposited, and the visual signal indicates that the ballot is registered. After depositing the ballot the voter releases the button 14, and the l spring 8 thereupon returns the slide-lever 6 to the normal position, during which return movement it causes the clapper 11 to act-nate the other bell, showing that the ballotedeposit opening is again closed and the ballot-box ready to be used by a succeeding voter. By the use of our invention it will be evident that it is impossible to uncover the ballot-deposit slot Without attracting the notice of the poll-watchers, and therefore that ballots cannot be surreptitiously inserted by abstracting their attention for a moment. Moreover, the poll-'Watchers and the voter himself will be careful to note after the deposit of the ballot that the audible signal of closing is given, and if it is not given will see that the mechanism is put in order before a subsequent ballot is taken.

1. A ballot-box provided with aballot-deposit opening, a slide normally covering said opening, a bell-clapper interposed in the path of movement of said slide, and tWo bells actuated by said clapper, one on the opening of the slide and the other on its return movement, substantially as described.

2. A ballot-box provided with a ballot-deposit opening, a slide normally covering said opening, a bell-clapper interposed in the path of movement of said slide, and two bells of different tones actuated by said clapper, one on the opening of the slide and the other on its return movement, substantially as described.

3. A ballotbox provided with a ballot-deposit epening, a slide normally covering` said opening, a bell-clapper interposed in the path of movement of said slide, two bells actuated by said clapper, one on the opening of the slide and the other on its return movement, and a registering-dial actuated by said slide, substantially as described.

4. A ballot-box provided with a double cover having slots 4: 5, pivoted lever G, handpull 14, spring 8, bell-clapper 11, bells 12 13, escapementlever 9, and registering-dial 10, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof wc a'flx our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

MONROE M. MCILVAIN. JACOB O. GOSE.

HAMILTON FOSTER llCKETT.

Witnesses:

F. M. LYON, C. l. ZARING. 

